Incoming Student Resources

Welcome to MIT

We are excited that you are about to join the MIT community. To help you navigate your way to Cambridge, we have put together a helpful list of resources. To accept, decline, or defer your admission offer please download the MIT Graduate Admissions Reply Form and return it directly to your department.

Graduate Orientation

Graduate orientation events take place for several weeks in late August and early September. Each year, events are coordinated by the Graduate Student Council (GSC) and posted to their website at gsc.mit.edu.

Accounts, Certificates & ID Cards

Departments will notify incoming students once they are eligible to create an MIT Kerberos email account. Further instructions about creating an account can be found online at ist.mit.edu/accounts.

At MIT, installed web browser certificates as well as two-factor authentication called Duo are required to access all secure websites. Immediately after you have created your MIT Kerberos account, you should register for Duo. After you have registered for Duo, you will be able to install browser certificates that will grant you access to many secure sites, such as Housing. Further information about each of these steps, can be found at ist.mit.edu/students.

Incoming Graduate students must meet certain eligibility requirements, such as completing proper medical forms and meeting immigration requirements, in order to receive an MIT ID card. If these eligibility requirements have been met, incoming graduate students should visit the MIT Card Office in the basement of the Stratton Student Center (W20-021) to receive an MIT ID card. You will need to present a valid picture ID (a driver’s license, passport, etc.) when requesting an MIT ID card. For more information, please visit the MIT Card Services website at mit.edu/semo/card.

International Student Immigration Information

Incoming international students are required to complete several immigrations requirements. All immigration related documents are handled by the International Students Office and further information for new students can be found on the Getting Started webpage.

Health Insurance and Medical Services

MIT requires that incoming students submit a medical history and document immunity against certain infectious diseases. Medical Report Forms need to be submitted before registering for classes and can be found online at medical.mit.edu/faqs/medical-report-form.

All students must have health insurance that meets the requirements for the Massachusetts Qualified Student Health Insurance Plan (QSHIP). Students with J-1 visas under MIT visa sponsorship must have insurance that also meets United States Department of State regulations for themselves and their spouses and children who accompany them.

MIT Medical offers a single, centralized source for all your healthcare needs, including comprehensive health insurance and care and treatment at our own medical centers. For more information about requirements and deadlines, please visit the MIT Medical website at medical.mit.edu.

Housing Services

Graduate students at MIT are entering a tight housing market whether they are looking for accommodations on campus or in the surrounding Boston-Cambridge area. Many new students, single and married, find apartments off campus, both nearby and in the outer suburbs, where there is greater variety and availability. The Housing Office helps students navigate the off-campus housing search process by using online tools, which are available at www.mitoffcampus.com. In addition, MIT gives preference to new students when assigning on-campus housing. Most entering single students requesting on-campus housing can be accommodated; family housing, however, is limited. Detailed housing information and application forms are available online through the Housing Office website at housing.mit.edu.

On-campus housing for married students

While approximately half of MIT’s 6,000 graduate students are married, there are only 407 family units on campus. Most of these are located in two tower apartment complexes; a few are in three-story walk-ups intended for families with young children. All units have readily available parking and community facilities. Day care and preschool facilities are available in each family building, and are open to the children of students whether they live on or off campus. Assignments to on-campus family apartments are made through an extremely competitive lottery.

On-campus housing for single students

Single students may apply for housing in five on-campus facilities with a total capacity of about 2,000—less than half the number of single graduate students. Rooms in Ashdown House, Tang Hall, 224 Albany Street, and Sidney-Pacific are furnished; the apartments in Edgerton House are unfurnished except for refrigerators and electric ranges. Rooms modified for handicapped students are available in all these buildings.

Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Program

MIT is committed to working with students to create a healthy and vibrant campus community. One aspect of this is to confront the important topics of sexual assault, harassment and relationship violence. As a part of this ongoing effort, MIT has partnered with EverFi to offer Haven Plus: an online, research-based program that provides a learning experience regarding critical prevention skills and strategies.

Incoming graduate students must complete this course prior to enrollment. Failure to complete this program may result in a registration hold impacting student’s ability to register for classes. For further information and to speak with an advocate please visit MIT’s Violence Prevention and Response website.